Veteran Services: VA changes income reporting rules

The Davidson County Veteran Services Office wants to make sure local veterans understand the rules for reporting income, according to Veteran Services Director Ricky Johnson.

Johnson said the Department of Veteran Affairs eliminated the annual requirement for most veterans enrolled in the VA's health-care system to report income information. Instead, the VA will automatically match income information obtained from the IRS and Social Security Administration.

The director said the change will reduce the burden on veterans, improve customer service and make it easier for veterans to keep their health care eligibility up-to-date. Some veterans applying for enrollment for the first time are still required to submit income information.

According to Johnson, there is no change in the VA's long-standing policy to provide no-cost care to indigent veterans, veterans with catastrophic medical conditions, veterans with a disability rating of 50 percent or higher, or for conditions that are officially rated as service-connected.

The VA encourages veterans to continue to use the health benefits renewal form to report changes in their personal information, such as address, phone numbers, dependents, next of kin, income and health insurance.